Plant stand



March 20, 1934. L CAMPAGNA 1,951,749

PLANT STAND Filed May 11, 1933 lNVENi'OR 3 .wnnessss 39 Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates to plant stands, and more particularly to an adjustable stand for supporting flora-containing receptacles of various sizes.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a plant stand which is inexpensive, sturdy, easily adjusted, conveniently portable, and which is capable of accommodating and rigidly supporting vases, pots, baskets and the like of different sizes at various distances above its base.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, of which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a plant stand; Fig. 2 a side view thereof; Fig. 3 an end View of the stand slightly modified; and Fig. 4 a plan view, partly in section, of the stand shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the frame of the stand, which may be formed of any suitable material, comprises a pair of upright end pieces 1 rigidly held in spaced parallel relation by a horizontal crosspiece 2, whose ends are secured in openings 3 provided in the lower portions of the uprights.

For engaging the base of a receptacle mounted in the stand and supporting it at selected elevations therein, a vertically adjustable receptaclesupporting member 4 is mounted in the crosspiece 2. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, this member consists of a table 6 having a stem '7 depending from its under side and extending through an opening 8 in the center of the crosspiece 2.

For holding the table in selected vertical positions, any suitable means may be provided. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a doorbolt type of pin 9, housed in a sleeve 11, is mounted on the under side of the crosspiece 2 and arranged to engage the stem 7 in a series of vertically spaced openings 12 provided therein.

A modified manner of holding a receptacle-supporting member in selected vertical positions is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The supporting member 34 consists of a table 36 and a depending stem 37 extending through an opening 38 in the center of a crosspiece 32. A substantially horizontal bore 41 extends from one side of opening 38 through 45 one side of the crosspiece. The stem 37 of the receptacle-supporting member is provided with a series of vertically spaced openings 42 each one of which is adapted to be axially aligned with bore 41 by raising or lowering the stem in crosspiece 32. Member 34 is held in desired positions by means of a pin-like member 39, such as a nail, slidably disposed in the bore 41 and projecting into an opening 42. The weight of the member 34 prevents the pin from sliding out if the stand is tipped sideways.

In order to steady a receptacle resting on the table 6 of Figs. 1 and 2, or on table 36 of Figs. 3 and 4, and to prevent it from being knocked or jarred therefrom, there is provided a pair of substantially Y-shaped gripping members 13, the jaws 14 of which are adapted to engage the sides of the receptacle. The outer portions 15 of these members are slidably mounted in openings 16 in the upper portions of the uprights 1. These outer portions are provided with axially extending slots 17 formed for the reception of bolts'l8 which project through brackets 19 attached to the outer faces of the uprights 1.

As receptacles of many difierent sizes and shapes are commonly used for housing cut-flowers and plants, it is desirable that the gripping members be adjustable toward and away from each other to accommodate such receptacles. This is done by sliding them horizontally in the openings 16 until their jaws engage the receptacle disposed between them. They are then looked in that position by wing nuts 21 which are threaded on the bolts 19 and tightened against washers 22 which bear against the gripping members. Consequently, the plant stand may be freely moved about without danger of a receptacle mounted therein falling out, hand-holes 24 in the upper ends of the end pieces facilitating such movement.

. It is one of the features of a plant stand constructed in accordance with this invention that the receptacle-supporting member 4 is vertically adjustable relative to the gripping members 13. That is, although the latter are always spaced the same distance from the base of the stand, the receptacle-supporting member is adjustable vertically with relation thereto. As a result, a plurality of these stands, supporting flora-containing receptacles of different heights, may be placed in a row with their tops all lying in the same horizontal plane, and the receptacle-supporting members 4 then adjusted to also bring the tops of all the receptacles into a common plane. This enhances the appearance of the display, because it permits the tops of the receptacles, as well as of the stands, to be disposed in a horizontal plane, thereby avoiding the vertical irregularity inherent in the use of plant stands known heretofore.

The appearance of the plant stand may be improved by cutting it in ornamental shape, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The stand is an ornamental and useful support for flora-containing receptacles, permitting plants, ferns, and flowers to be displayed to advantage. It keeps them off the floor, and can be easily moved from one location to another without fear of disturbing or dropping the flowers. If it is desired to place a receptacle of different size or shape in the stand, the stand can be quickly or easily adjusted to accommodate it.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspiece connecting them, a receptacle-supporting member mounted for vertical adjustment relative to the crosspiece, and horizontally adjustable gripping members connected to said end pieces above said crosspiece for engaging the sides of a receptacle mounted on said receptacle-supporting member, said gripping members being movable only toward and away from each other relative to the rest of the stand.

2. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspiece connecting them and provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough, a receptacle-supporting member slidably disposed in said opening, means for retaining the supporting member in vertically adjustable positions relative to the crosspiece, and horizontally adjustable gripping members associated with the end pieces above the receptacle-supporting member for engaging the sides of a receptacle mounted on said supporting member, said gripping members being movable only toward and away from each other relative to the rest of the stand.

3. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspiece connecting them and provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough, a receptacle-supporting member slidably disposed in said opening and provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apertures, a detent connected to said crosspiece and adapted to enter said apertures for locking the receptacle-supporting member in vertically adjustable positions, and horizontally adjustable gripping members associated with the end pieces above the receptacle-supporting member for engaging the sides of receptacles of various sizes, said gripping members being movable only toward and away from each other relative to the rest of the stand.

4. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspiece connecting them and provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough, a receptacle-supporting member slidably disposed in said opening, means for locking the supporting member in vertically adjustable positions relative to the crosspiece, horizontally adjustable gripping members extending through openings in the upper portions of the end pieces for engaging the sides of receptacles of various sizes, and means for locking the gripping members in the desired positions, said gripping members being movable only toward and away from each other relative to the rest of the stand.

5*. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspiece connecting them and provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough, a receptacle-supporting member slida'bly disposed in said opening, means for locking the supporting member in vertically adjustable positions relative to the crosspiece, horizontally adjustable gripping members for engaging the sides of receptacles of various sizes and having longitudinally slotted outer portions extending through openings in the upper portions of the end pieces, brackets connected to the end pieces beneath said outer portions, bolts projecting through the brackets and extending through the slots in said gripping members, and wing nuts threaded on the ends of the bolts and adapted to be tightened against the gripping members for locking them in the desired positions.

6. A plant stand comprising upright end pieces, a crosspi ce connecting them and provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough and provided also with a bore extending from one side of the opening substantially horizontally through one side of the crosspiece, a receptacle-supporting member slidably disposed in said opening and provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apertures each adapted to be axially aligned with said bore, a pin slidably disposed in said bore and adapted to enter said apertures for locking the receptacle-supporting member in vertically ad justable positions, and horizontally adjustable gripping members associated with the end pieces above the receptacle-supporting member for engaging the sides of receptacles of various sizes.

LUIGI CAMPAGNA. 

